Four Months
by sharingstories2
Summary: It had been four months since anyone had seen her.
1. Four Months

Four months, that's how long since the three of them had heard from Riley Matthews, yet Farkle knew she had kept in contact with Zay. He supposed it was everyone's fault, they had, had a big argument after all and everyone had chosen Lucas's side, except Zay. The Texan had said that it wasn't fair for them to penalise Riley for something she couldn't control.

It all started when they found out Riley was tutoring a kid in history, usually this wouldn't be a problem but the kid was Lucas's arch enemy, Riley had begged the teacher not to pair them up but Riley had no choice. Farkle remembered the argument like it was yesterday

 _Farkle had entered Toanaga's to find Riley and Lucas screaming at each other.  
"You should have said no!" Lucas yelled, Farkle walked over to Maya who had explained the situation. Riley turned to her boyfriend.  
"I tried Lucas, I begged for another person to tutor but this is half my grade, I had no choice!" she seethed. Riley looked to her best friends who unfortunately were not as helpful as she had hoped.  
"Look Riles, I just think friends come first" Maya muttered, Riley's face fell, her own best friend was against her. Farkle stepped forward  
"I understand that grades matter Riley but look at this from Lucas's perspective, how do you know this kid isn't trying to get dirt on Lucas?" _

_A silence appeared as Riley clenched and unclenched her fists. Zay stepped forward and placed a hand on Riley's shoulder.  
"Guys maybe you should understand that Riley can't control this and you shouldn't expect her to lose half a grade because of a high school feud. This guy isn't trying to get dirt on Lucas, I'm always sat near where they are revising and the kid only ever asks about History and occasionally if she can help with other subject." Riley nodded before sighing  
"I'm going home, please just… leave me alone for the night"_

Of course no one left her alone, they went to the bay window only to find that for the first time since they had all met Riley, it was locked. They tried to get to her at school but no one could find her. The only class they all had together was history but every lesson they had she was never there. When they had asked Mr Matthews had answered with a quick  
"She's tutoring" it was only from Zay they were told that she was tutoring in history and receiving the lessons at home from her father.

For two months everyone tried to constantly contact her but she ignored them, they only one that had any regular contact was Zay and all he had told them was that she had always believed in people, they had broken her faith

In month three they found notes in each of their lockers, Lucas's had said that they were over and that she hoped he was well. Maya's had said they would always be friends but she needed time to get over everything and Farkle's… well his was the worst of all. She had called him a hypocrite, then proceeded to tell him that she loved him.

In month four she had found a new set of friends, these girls and Zay could be found hanging around Topanga's doing homework. It had been four months and Riley had moved on.


	2. Five Months

**A/N so this was originally meant to be a one shot but a lot of people have messaged me saying you wanted it to become more, I honestly don't know how this will go since it was written to be a one shot but I'll try and to Jess (a reviewer) I thank you for both the compliments and the criticism, I liked your review the best because you actually gave me some advice, most of which I intend to include in the next few chapters so thank you so, so much for your review .** **J**

It had been five months and despite attempting to move on Riley felt hollow, she knew that maybe she had overreacted but she had honestly felt so betrayed. She knew that Maya and Lucas were a thing, even when he was dating her. She maybe naive but she was far from stupid. Farkle on the other hand, she knew would never have chosen Lucas's side, he had apparently always had hers. That was a lie, he had chosen the Texans side without thinking, and she guessed that they had bonded when she had been tutoring. That was why Riley was thankful for Zay, when she had told the jokester that she was tutoring Lucas's worst enemy he became solemn.  
"You do it in a public place where I won't be more than a couple of feet away" she had of course agreed. Zay had kept a close eye on their interactions but surprisingly the kid didn't care that Riley was Lucas's girlfriend, he just needed some help. In fact the only time he had asked about Lucas was to ask if Lucas had begun applying for colleges. She had told him she didn't know and she wasn't comftable with him talking about Lucas, the kid had apologised and began revising.

So that's why Riley felt so betrayed when her friends, had in affect betrayed her by not even listening. It had hurt the most when Maya sided with Lucas though, usually she sided with Riley but the blonde had chosen not to this time. Lucas she had expected to fall out with her, not as spectacularly as he did but she had expected it, Farkle on the other hand had completely broken her faith, he had abandoned her once at the beginning of high school, she never dreamed he would do it again.

Pulling her coat tighter Riley sighed, no use on dwelling on it now, it was in the past. So she walked through the snow, getting colder by the second before she reached her apartment door. When she got there she found Zay leaning outside her door.  
"Hey sugar" he said. She smiled  
"What's up Zay?" the boy frowned, he pulled out his phone  
"Uh look Riles… I wanted you to find out from me rather than rumours around school, turns out you weren't wrong about Lucas and Maya" he said sadly. Riley stood stunned for a moment before laughing  
"Of course, I told him to go for it in the letters I left for them Zay, despite the circumstances I'm happy for them, they deserve love, the big bright love and they have it, together." She told him, opening her door. Zay followed her inside before asking  
"I thought you loved Lucas though, I thought this whole triangle thing ended years ago at the ski lodge?" he seemed so confused so Riley took pity on him. She grabbed them a drink and sat next to him.  
"Look it did… at least for a while, Lucas chose me, he told me loved me and all that kind of thing and I know I love him, I always have. Yet about two months before the argument he and Maya kept blowing me off and hanging out together. I think Maya's sudden interest in him again happened when Uncle Josh got a girlfriend who by the way is way more suited to him.

I let them get together, I always heard that if you love someone it should be freeing but I didn't feel free Zay, I was trapped in a relationship where my boyfriend spent more time with my best friend and I couldn't keep them apart."

Riley got up and placed her, now empty cup in the sink. Zay did the same  
"So…. What happens now?" he asked. Riley pushed her hair out of her eyes  
"Now… life carries on" she said before waltzing away to her bedroom, leaving Zay to wonder how the people he trusted the most broke the girl who was the most whole.


	3. Five and half months

Zay didn't know what to do, Riley needed help. Sure she said she was happy but Zay didn't believe her. Zay knew that what the three of them had done had ultimately changed Riley so that she was more safe with whom she trusted so it stood to reason that they could help her. It was for that reason and only that reason that he had agreed to meet them at Topanga's.

When he sat down across from Lucas the boy spoke up.  
"You wanted to see me?" Zay asked cryptically, Lucas rolled his eyes.  
"I want to know what's up with Riley, I want to know If this is all happening because of Jacobs input" at this Zay's anger flurried. He knew Lucas and Zay had an ongoing feud but the boy had done nothing but try to help Riley. Zay growled  
"Now you listen and you listen well, you and Jacob are in some silly high school feud which in normal circumstances I really wouldn't care about but that boy has been good for her. He gives her something to focus on, he, and you can quote me on this, had never asked for anything that could be used against you. The only thing he asked is if you were applying to college and Riley, bless her heart said she didn't know and that she wasn't comftable about him asking. He never asked again. You know who isn't good for her Lucas, you! You played her and Maya with this stupid triangle. We all stuck through it until you suddenly choose the girl who you don't deserve. Oh and then you date her for two years before once again kissing her best friend! Now I support you and Maya, really I do! But not at the expense of Riley. Never at the expanse of Riley."

Zay stood up suddenly, attracting everyone's attention. Lucas stood up too and looked him directly in the eyes.  
"You used to stick by me Zay… what happened?" Zay glowered  
"I watched the burn out" and then he turned on his heel, storming out the bakery. Yet he didn't get very far before he ran into Farkle and Maya.  
"Zay?" Farkle asked. Maya and Farkle looked utterly confused as to why their friend looked like he was about to commit murder.  
"Look, I know I said I'd talk to you about Riley but right now I have nothing nice to say about all of you. Meet me here in an hour and for the love of god, make sure Lucas isn't anywhere near me." Zay then walked away.

Two hours later found Zay sat at a table outside Topanga's. Maya sat across from him with Farkle on her right. Zay took a deep breath before he began.  
"Riley isn't okay. I don't really know everything that happened but she confided in me that it was a lot of mini things, she was falling behind in school, her brother was constantly needing her to mind him, and colleges needed Appling to etcetera. She said that she thought she could get through it all if you all believed in her, then you all sided with Lucas and I guess she felt like you didn't trust her. Then some other stuff happened but that doesn't matter. I sided with Riley because she asked for my help and I know she would never intentionally hurt you all." Maya sighed  
"We broke her didn't we?" she cried out. Zay nodded before pulling out his phone and showing Maya screenshots of her and Lucas flirting. Maya said nothing more, the realisation of what she did was weighing her down.  
"She loves me?" Farkle asked. Zay shrugged  
"Honestly? I don't know, when she wrote those letters it came out of the blue. If you ever get her to trust you again, that's something you two need to talk about."

Zay stood up and turned to the two  
"Look I can speak to riley about you two, Lucas I won't let near her with a ten foot poll, and he doesn't deserve her." They nodded and Zay left. The two friends looked at each other, regret in their eyes. They had broken the girl that had the thickest skin they had ever seen. They had broken Riley Matthews.


	4. Six Months

Zay had watched both Farkle and Maya for the next two weeks as they prepared for their talk to Riley. He could feel their panic as they approached Riley and himself at where Zay had promised they would be.  
"Hey Riley" Maya said. If they had expected Riley to be anything less than civil they were wrong. Rile looked up at Maya  
"Hey Maya, what can I do for you?" Maya stumbled at the emotionless voice of her best friend.  
"We were wondering if we could talk to you" Riley looked to Zay who nodded. She then looked to a paling Farkle and Maya.  
"My bay window will be open in precisely an hour, if you're not there I'll lock it and assume you don't want to talk" and then she grabbed her things and walked away.

Precisely an hour later Farkle and Maya were climbing through Riley's window, Riley offered them a drink and hung up their wet coats before sitting next to them on the bay window.  
"Speak" she commanded. Farkle spoke before Maya  
"We wanted to apologise, we should never have agreed with Lucas-"Riley stood up abruptly  
"Don't apologise for that, I wouldn't condemn your opinion. That is unique to you and I'm not mad that you agreed, in fact I'm not mad at all" Maya looked at her sceptically. Farkle on the other hand smiled, why was she so forgiving.  
"Why aren't you mad?" Maya asked. Riley looked down  
"I'll admit I was but then I realised that what you had said was right to an extent, I had chosen to tutor Lucas's arch nemesis but you never bothered to understand my point of view that I never really had a choice"

Farkle went to interrupts but Riley held up her hand.  
"That being said I do feel hurt and betrayed, firstly I know that there was something between you and Lucas Maya. I do not think that he cheated mind you, that is one thing that you would never do. Secondly after I got over the initial betrayal that you had not agreed I was okay with it. However what hurts even more is that it has taken you six months to apologise. I understand that at first I made it hard for you to do so but you stopped trying."

When she was done Maya had tears in her eyes.  
"I… I am so sorry. I'd just like to say you are right, about everything. I know you know about Lucas and me and that _shouldn't have happened_ and that we never cheated on you. I am so sorry it has taken Farkle and me this long, we were cowards…"  
"Big cowards, especially me. I couldn't fathom that I wrong. I know I've been wrong about you before I mean New Year's is just a reminder of that but I just…" Farkle chocked up and Riley handed him a tissue.

As Riley looked at them she just felt tired, she was so tired all the time now and arguing didn't help. She sat next to them  
"This is a mess" she said. The other two nodded  
"Riley… can I ask why did you let Zay in?" Farkle asked. Riley smiled  
"I told him because despite what people believe we have always been close in a weird way, especially after the ski lodge. He knew what the Riley committee was and was determined to see it through, I think he did well despite the circumstances" no one said anything after that.

The silence that settled upon the rumour was stifling, eventually Maya stood up.  
"So how do we go forward?" she asked. Riley looked at her thoughtfully  
"I'm not sure… I want to forgive you and I will but… I need time." Maya nodded  
"I think that's fair… Urm I know I should be begging for forgiveness but I've got to go. I'm covering my mums shift at the diner" Riley nodded and Maya left the way she came.

"Farkle" Riley began  
"Look Zay told me about you reading the whole I love you thing… before you ask I'm going to have to say I don't know. I… maybe one day I'd like to pursue a relationship with you but not now. I'm sorry" Farkle looked at her sadly.  
"I understand" Riley pulled him into a hug before he left the same way as Maya.

It had been six months but Riley was starting to feel a little more awake.


	5. Seven Months

The change that happened within the next four weeks wasn't immediate, you would be hard pressed to see it if you weren't looking for it. Yet slowly but Surely Zay saw a change in Riley, she laughed a little more and began to hope again, she began speaking a little more to her two friends. In fact it wasn't just Zay who noticed the change, Lucas did to and he wanted answers.

Zay wasn't expecting to be cornered in the boys changing rooms but alas Lucas was on a mission.  
"How did you do it?" Lucas asked  
"Do what?"  
"Get Riley to forgive them" Lucas stated as if Zay was slow. The young man just rolled his eyes, he was Lucas's best friend but sometimes he hated him.  
"Who's to say she did?"  
"Well she's happy and their talking, tell me so I can get her to forgive me. I miss her" to say Lucas was expecting would be a lie. Zay, in a moment of rage pinned Lucas up against the Lockers.  
"You will not go near her, if she wants to forgive you I won't stop her but until then stay the hell away."  
Lucas shouted out as Zay turned to leave but Zay turned to him  
"Lucas you will always be my friend but I've watched as you've strung Riley and Maya along and then chose Riley only to go to Maya. When I got here you said we had to protect Riley, I just never thought you meant from you" Zay then stormed away.

Riley laughed as Zay told her what had happened.  
"Thanks Zay" she said. Zay looked at her  
"Are you going to forgive him one day?" he asked. Riley shrugged  
"Forgive? maybe but I'll never trust him again" Zay smiled at her answer. He felt so proud of her in that moment, almost as proud as when she took a step back from all the negativity in her life.  
"How's Auggie?" Riley shrugged  
"He's okay, he's acting out again but I think he's just looking for a way to show his emotions. He's still upset that Ava is moving away although I don't think throwing a tantrum is going to help" Zay laughed.

It was a little while later that they were interrupted by Zay's mother.  
"Riley are you staying for dinner dear?"  
"If that's okay Mrs Babineaux"  
"Of course it is dear, Zay you make sure you've finished your homework"  
"Okay mum" then Mrs Babineaux left the two of them alone again.

After Mrs Babineaux dropped Riley off at home Maya appeared at her window.  
"Hey Riley"  
"Hey Maya" it had been a month but things were still slightly uncomftable.  
"Erm so I know this is random but I dunno I just hadn't seen you in a while and I just wanted to make sure you were okay?" she phrased it like a question but Riley saw that Maya meant something else.

"Is everything okay at home?" she asked. Maya looked up startled  
"Yeah, why do you ask?"  
"Because you asked me am I okay last week and you are now covered in mud and look like you've been crying, now are you going to tell me or am I going to have to use ring power."

Maya laughed and climbed in, sitting on the bay window Maya spilled her secrets. Lucas had apparently been bugging Maya and Farkle on how they had been getting Riley to talk to them. When Farkle had gotten annoyed at the constant pestering and told him to shove off. This had created an argument which led Lucas to promptly shove Farkle over and when Maya had gotten involved Lucas had told her to get lost.  
"He what? Oh that is it!"

It had been seven months and Riley Matthews was angry.


	6. Seven and a half months

When Lucas received a message from Riley he smiled, maybe she was going to forgive him however when he met up with her it was apparent that she was not. He sat across from the stone faced girl  
"Hey Riles" Riley took a deep breath  
"Do not call me that, to you its Riley" Lucas looked concerned at her attitude but ignored it.  
"So… are you here to forgive me?" he asked. Riley chuckled  
"No I'm here to tell you what an arse you're being" if Lucas was shocked at her swearing he didn't comment.  
"Excuse me" he said. Riley scrunched up her face  
"How could you for one second treat Farkle and Maya like you did"  
"They wouldn't tell what they did to get you to forgive." Riley scoffed  
"They didn't do anything! They talked to me and agreed that they would show how sorry they were and they didn't act like an idiot, god how stupid could you be Lucas Friar?" Lucas looked at her in annoyance.  
"Well it wouldn't have happened if you had forgiven me" he stated. Riley stared at him, her face steadily going blue with anger  
" _HOW DARE YOU!"_ she screeched.  
"How dare you try and blame this on me, you know what I don't even know why I bothered, to think I actually liked you" the teen then got up to leave, only for Lucas to grab her arm and spin her around. He let go when he realised he'd hurt her.  
"Walk away Lucas because I swear this is one battle you will not win" looking around he realised she was right. Her parents, Zay and Farkle's parents and Maya's mum was there, hell even Auggie was there, he couldn't risk it.  
"This isn't over" he promised. Riley looked him they eyes  
"Yes, it is" Lucas backed down and walked away, Riley turned to Katy  
"Is it too late to order a milkshake?" Katy laughed and got set on making her one.

Riley didn't know how she felt, this was the boy that she had fallen for but she couldn't see hide nor hair of the boy that had stolen her heart. So as she quietly sipped her milkshake she deflected everyone's questions and promised that Lucas Friar would never use her again.

When Zay and Farkle brought up going back to history Riley was hesitant, she knew she would be bombarded with questions about where she'd been but strangely Farkle, Zay and Maya made her feel like it was the right thing to do. She had told her father whom had been ecstatic and the people who she had been tutoring in History would all be tutored after school instead. Riley still felt hesitant though, she was stood outside her father's classroom feeling like she was entering enemy territory. Farkle and Zay were already inside and Maya was stood next to her  
"You ready Riles?" Riley just gulped  
"As much as I can ever be" Maya grabbed her hand and together they walked into the classroom.

As expected everyone had stared, Lucas had tried to get her attention several times but Riley had just ignored him. So the lesson had progressed and Riley was beginning to feel somewhat normal as she studied the American Revolution.

Zay smiled at her proudly, in the past three months Riley had shown incredible courage, she had faced Farkle and Maya and was learning to let them back in. Lucas had nearly brought down her success but she had let him go and as sure as the sun would rise in the morning Zay had watched Riley slowly become happier and more at peace. The argument may have broken her faith in people but the world was finally giving her back a little bit of that faith. Or so he thought.


	7. Nine Months

It took precisely eight weeks for everything to come to a head spectacularly. Strangely Zay could see it coming but at the same time couldn't, he knew that he would try something he just never imagined it would be this.

It all started when Lucas cornered Riley in sport, nobody noticed because they were at the back of the class. Well no one noticed until Farkle got involved because Lucas and Riley had begun to scream at each other. Lucas had looked murderous when Farkle got the teacher who had consequently given Lucas a detention. The boy had scowled and stormed off.

It was later that day in Topanga's when Riley completely lost it. Lucas had sat down and demanded to know why he wasn't being forgiven unlike his two other friends. Riley had clenched her fists tightly.  
"Is that what you think? That I just forgave them? Oh it's nothing she forgave them but it wasn't like that and it's only now that I'm beginning to forgive them. They may have messed up but they _knew they had._ They apologised and showed how sorry they were, to be honest if it wasn't for Zay I probably wouldn't have even talked to them but they have always been by my side so I learned to forgive them, I can't trust them yet, they broke my faith but that's nothing compared to you.

I thought you loved me, we were dating again and I thought you were the Corey to my Topanga but then you left me over as something as stupid as a tutoring session that would have cost me half my grade, I passed because of that. You know what, you say you miss me but you don't, you miss someone worshipping you because that's what I was to you Lucas, someone who would always let you back in well _not this time._ I refuse to let you break my heart Lucas Friar and I refuse to be drawn in by you, you lie and lie and I can't deal with it. You think I'm being stubborn? You have no freaking clue." She had tears streaming down her face as she looked to her two best friends.

"In the past nine months my little brother had his heart broken when Ava moved away, Smackle was the only one, minus Zay who still talked to me, too bad her family moved halfway across the world ain't it?. Then I lost my two best friends because of your stubbornness, so Lucas Friar, we are done and I will never let you back in. I lost my faith in world but most of all I lost my faith in you" she then stormed away, shaking in anger. Lucas went to follow her but Zay stopped him  
"No, leave her be Lucas" and then he went to follow her.

He found her in her room, crying. He said nothing and just pulled her into a hug, no words were needed as he rocked her back and forth. No words were needed as she sobbed into his shoulder. No words were needed because they had all been said in the nine months he had to look after and taken care of her.

The next day Farkle pulled her into a hug as did Maya, no words were needed then either because what could they say? The sun had burned out and they had helped. One thing was true though, neither of them would let Lucas near her, not again.


	8. Ten Months

As close as Maya and Riley and Farkle had become the topic of the four months they were not there were left untouched. That was fine by them, in fact the three of them had muddled through school and the rest of the school year without mentioning it.

So as it was everything had eventually clicked in place, thunder and lightning were back in action, Riley and Farkle still hadn't talked about their attraction and Zay was standing by as Riley's protector. The four of them had finished shopping for dresses and tuxes for the end of year dance. Farkle had taken Maya and Riley had gone with Zay. Topanga had cried with happiness that her daughter was finally getting towards her happy ending and that Zay was still an integral part of her life.

When the four of them got to the dance they danced with their respective dates, although as the night progressed they had seemed to swap dates. Zay had given Farkle look when he had asked Riley to dance but Riley just punched Zay's shoulder lightly.

So as they danced the night away Farkle had asked the question that had been annoying him since they had become friends again.  
"So uh Riley are... you are we… ready to be going steady?" Riley laughed lightly, a melody to Farkle's ears.  
"Going Steady? What is this, the eighties?" Farkle shrugged  
"Maybeeeee" Riley looked at him thoughtfully, yet as she glanced over at the entrance she saw Lucas leave and knew she had to do something first.  
"Wait right here" and then she ran outside.

She saw Lucas turn a corner and shouted for him  
"What?" he asked. Riley looked down, she didn't really know what she was doing but she knew she had to do something.  
"I… god I can't believe I'm doing this but I forgive you" Lucas looked at her in surprise  
"Really?"  
"Yeah… I don't want to carry this anger around anymore, it's exhausting but that being said… I don't trust you nor love you anymore I just wanted you to know that you're forgiven."

Lucas scratched the back of his head  
"Erm… thank you riley… I should probably go" he nodded and she muttered yeah. The cowboy smiled at her once more before leaving her in the hallway all alone.

Riley was so deep in thought that she never noticed Farkle  
"That was a very brave thing" she jumped  
"Or a very stupid thing"  
"Or both" he reasoned. She laughed, grabbing his hands she demanded he danced with her  
"There's no music here" he said. She just laughed at him  
"We don't need it" he just shrugged and began to twirl her about, when they finished she looked him in the eyes, hers glistening in the light.  
"Yes… I'll 'go steady' with you" he smiled at her and kissed her forehead, she placed her head on his chest.

It had taken a little under ten months and slowly Riley had worked towards her happy ending. She knew nothing would ever be the same, her faith was broke and there were still many questions that need to be answered but she was ready for it. She was ready for a new adventure, she knew that with her friends by her side she could find that because she was Riley Matthews and despite everything she still believed in the world.


	9. Dear readers

Dear readers.

This is to address something that quite a few people have noticed, whether you have only read this story or others you may have noticed that a lot of my stories carry dark themes such as

· Suicide

· Mental illness

· Rape

· Abuse (of any kind)

· Self-harm

So I feel the need to stress this and I need your help. If you have read any of my stories and they have triggers, even if the trigger seems really remote could you please leave a review or private message, as much as the stories I write are for the reader's enjoyment sometimes they can be very triggering. Thank you.

That is not the reason I have written this note. I am here today to tell everyone that they are worth it, even if you don't believe it, I do. You are all stronger than what ails you and what ails you can be defeated, I believe that everyone has an inner battle inside them but you can survive. If you are experiencing anything, whether it be mental illness or you have been through a traumatic experience, hell even if you just feel sad or upset it is okay to get help. It is okay. I understand this is scary and it could mean that you will have to experience changes that you are not ready for but it will all be worth it. You can get there.

I want to wish everyone reading this all the happiness in the world, you deserve it. Remember you all have beautiful souls and its okay to feel sad and alone or whatever you are feeling. I want you to know that even if you feel like no one believes in you, I do.

Thank you all, I hope you all find happiness and joy in your lives.

\- Sharingstories2


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